Carrot Leek Soup with Thyme

Shelley and Michael had us over for lunch this weekend, and served us the most delicious, thick carrot leek soup, sourdough bread (City Bread from Cheeseboard) and salad (a mix of leaves, garbanzos, red peppers,  avocado, and more, with a thick balsamic oil dressing). Shelley said the soup recipe was from Fields of Greens. I thought I had that cookbook but I don't (I have the first one; this is the second one). But I found the recipe on the web! Here's the slightly-adapted version (she said she left out the cream and added more carrots) that I'll try to replicate.

Ingredients
6 C vegetable stock
1/2 lb potatoes (1.5 cups), thinly sliced
1 T vegan butter
1 large leek (2 cups), thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 T chopped fresh thyme
2 T olive oil
1.5 lb carrots (3+ cups), sliced 1/4" thick
1 sweet potato/yam (optional, to sweeten and bring out flavors)
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Make the stock and keep it warm over low heat.

Heat vegan butter and 1 T olive oil in a soup pot. Add the carrots, sweet potato (if using), 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper. Saute over medium heat until the carrots begin to glisten and release their juices, about 10 minutes.

Add 1 cup stock, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen the sugars.

Add remaining stock and the potatoes; bring the soup to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, until the carrots are very tender. Let cool and puree.

Cut leek in half lengthwise, wash and thinly slice.

Heat 1 T olive oil in a saute pan and add the leeks, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, dried thyme and a pinch of pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat until the leeks are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the leeks to the carrot puree and cook over low heat for another 15 minutes.

Season with salt and a few pinches of pepper to taste.

Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of fresh thyme.

Make 9 to 10 cups.